English Language Arts
Grade 6
15 min
Use reflexive pronouns
Use reflexive pronouns
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify reflexive pronouns in sentences.
Correctly use singular and plural reflexive pronouns.
Match reflexive pronouns to their antecedents.
Construct sentences using reflexive pronouns appropriately.
Differentiate between correct and incorrect usage of reflexive pronouns.
Revise sentences to correct errors in reflexive pronoun usage.
Have you ever talked to yourself, or perhaps accidentally tripped over your own feet? 🚶♀️ Sometimes, we do things 'to ourselves' or 'by ourselves'!
In this lesson, you'll learn all about reflexive pronouns – special words like 'myself' and 'themselves' that refer back to the subject of a sentence. Understanding these pronouns will help you write more clearly and avoid common...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
PronounA word that takes the place of a noun (person, place, thing, or idea). Examples: he, she, it, they, you.Instead of saying 'Sarah went to the park,' we can say 'She went to the park.'
Reflexive PronounA special type of pronoun that refers back to the subject of the sentence, showing that the subject is performing an action upon itself. They always end in -self or -selves.The cat groomed itself.
AntecedentThe noun or pronoun that a pronoun refers back to or replaces.In 'Mark taught himself to play guitar,' 'Mark' is the antecedent for 'himself'.
SubjectThe noun or pronoun in a sentence that performs the action or is described.In 'She baked a cake,' 'She' is the subject.
ObjectThe noun or prono...
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Key Rules & Conventions
Reflexive Pronouns Reflect the Subject
A reflexive pronoun must always refer back to the subject of the sentence, indicating that the subject is both the doer and receiver of the action.
Use a reflexive pronoun when the subject of the verb is also the object of the verb. For example, 'She saw herself in the mirror.' Here, 'She' is the subject, and 'herself' refers back to 'She'.
The '-self' or '-selves' Ending
All reflexive pronouns end in '-self' for singular subjects and '-selves' for plural subjects.
It's important to use the correct ending. For example, 'myself' (singular) but 'ourselves' (plural). Never use 'hisself' or 'theirselves' – these are i...
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Challenging
Read the paragraph. Which sentence needs to be revised for correct reflexive pronoun usage? "(1) My team and I designed a robot for the science fair. (2) We found ourselves working late most nights. (3) The judges awarded the grand prize to another team and ourselves. (4) Still, I was proud of myself for all the hard work."
A.Sentence 1
B.Sentence 2
C.Sentence 3
D.Sentence 4
Challenging
The tutorial states a core rule: "A reflexive pronoun can never be the subject of a sentence." Which sentence below violates this rule?
A.He told himself to remember the formula.
B.The students organized the event themselves.
C.My parents and myself attended the school play.
D.You should allow yourself more time to study.
Challenging
A student argues, "The sentence 'The principal gave the award to myself' is correct because it sounds more important than 'to me'." Based on grammar rules, why is this student's argument incorrect?
A.The argument is correct; 'myself' is a more formal and important version of 'me'.
B.The reflexive pronoun 'myself' can only be used when the subject of the sentence is 'I'.
C.'Myself' is a plural pronoun and does not match the singular subject 'principal'.
D.The sentence should use 'hisself' to match the likely gender of 'principal'.
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